Post by TickTrix on Dec 18, 2006 21:27:58 GMT -5

I like to get in on Wednesday night like I have the previous 3 years. Did anyone get into VIP on Wednesday night? or did they hold VIP out until Thursday am? I like to get there early and have fun.

We wanted to get in Wednesday night as well, but you can only pick up the VIP tickets on Thursday morning at a secret spot. I was bummed at first, but we made the best of it and split the cost of a hotel ($25 each) and got one last good night's sleep about an hour away from Manchester and drove in Thursday. It ended up working out well and we had our tents up and had already had a few cheap, cold VIP beers by 1pm. Keep in mind, that there are no lines for VIP, so whenever you head to Roo on Thursday, you'll be at your campsite within minutes, so really, in a way, you are ahead of GA already.

Post by iSkew on Dec 19, 2006 11:59:10 GMT -5

I like to get in on Wednesday night like I have the previous 3 years. Did anyone get into VIP on Wednesday night? or did they hold VIP out until Thursday am? I like to get there early and have fun.

We wanted to get in Wednesday night as well, but you can only pick up the VIP tickets on Thursday morning at a secret spot. I was bummed at first, but we made the best of it and split the cost of a hotel ($25 each) and got one last good night's sleep about an hour away from Manchester and drove in Thursday. It ended up working out well and we had our tents up and had already had a few cheap, cold VIP beers by 1pm. Keep in mind, that there are no lines for VIP, so whenever you head to Roo on Thursday, you'll be at your campsite within minutes, so really, in a way, you are ahead of GA already.

Similar experience here, but we left at a$s-o-clock in the morning to roll in around 10am. Picking up tickets and sailing right into the campsite was so fast it was almost dreamlike. We went from, "Get the directions for the ticket pickup out of the glove compartment," to, "Help me undo the RV's awning," in the same hour!

I am SOOOOOOOO excited to have more Inforoosters in VIP this year. I'll likely have my daughter with me, so hopefully she won't be the "fly in the vasoline" for anyone, but worth a few cute pics. But we should have a nice RV rental and lots of stocked stuff for sharing!

Post by areyoukind on Dec 19, 2006 12:10:37 GMT -5

*i like coconuts, you can break them open they smell like ladies lyin in the sun***Hell I don't even know where I am***for now I must sit here and ponder the yonder:The herbivores did well cause their food didn't never run***We listen, if it feels goodWe shake***You made a big impression for a girl of your size,Now I can't get by without you and your big brown eyes.**

Post by iridethecannibus on Dec 25, 2006 13:26:47 GMT -5

Hello all, I guess I'm technically an inforoo newbie, but I was here three years ago! I just can't remember what email and stuff I had then, so i figured i'd start fresh. Anyway, this upcoming bonnaroo will be my first one since '04 and i'm trying to decide if i should go VIP. or rather, if i have the self control to save up that kinda cash.

So, this could make or break it: Can anyone tell me approximately what the difference in price was between regular outrageously priced alcoholic beverages in centeroo and VIP drinks?

Thanks a bunch, i'm so frickin' psyched you'll see plenty of me between now and June. My excitement's been building for over two years!

Post by atl3103 on Dec 27, 2006 13:15:10 GMT -5

I read this thread last night and really started thinking about the dollars and cents of it and realized that it does make a lot of sense to go VIP. The pictures really helped out a lot. Thanks for those, Andrea. I think those were the tipping points. Also looking at the satellite image from last year, and seeing how far we were parked, and the various places that we kept getting lost at, makes VIP seem much better.

You guys are right, if we are getting this amped up for the Roo, 7 months out, then VIP is for you. The dissappointment that I have had during my previous two Roo experiences, is that I get stuck at the RV (which last year was parked a mile away) and I don't go see the bands that I like, I only go check out the bands that I love and I end up not getting to see nearly as many bands as I would normally. At Coachella, there is no re-entry, which kinda sucks, but once you get out of the hotel and into the grounds, you end up seeing bands for 10 or so hours (which five of those hours are bands that you really wanted to see, and the other five you eat/check out stuff/wander from tent to tent/discover your next favorite band). Then you do the same thing the very next day. So both times I went to Coachella I probably saw three times as many bands as the times I have been to the Roo (even though Coachella is only a two day festival). Its like I am forced to see all these great bands (due to the no-entry), which is a good thing. The RV sometimes makes it so that you get a little too comfortable, especially if you are parked over a mile away. Heck, I remember a couple times last year, when we were all ready to go to Centeroo, and ended up getting sidetracked on the way, and never made it.

Post by bug512 on Dec 28, 2006 5:36:09 GMT -5

For the VIP and RV question.You will need a RV pass if you want to bring a RV !!One pass is good no matter how many people are in your party.Example: 2 people + 1 RV = 1 RV pass 6 people + 1 RV = 1 RV pass

Post by pigsnzen on Dec 28, 2006 12:01:38 GMT -5

So, this could make or break it: Can anyone tell me approximately what the difference in price was between regular outrageously priced alcoholic beverages in centeroo and VIP drinks?

While I DEFINITELY don't find the drinks in Centeroo to be "outrageously priced"; I too would be very curious as to what the price different is like.

12oz beers in the Brooers tent were $5 - and those were microbrews. 20oz Bud/Coors/Miller were $5, I think (but I haven't had any of those at 'Roo). I don't have a reference for the VIP prices or whether they were only Bud/Coors/Miller. If they're $1 microbrews, I might be able to drink the difference in VIP tickets...

Post by zaphod on Dec 28, 2006 23:41:57 GMT -5

taraanne81 said:

Ok, so I know the cons of VIP, all the things that I would miss if I wasn't in general camping. But I need help with the pros of VIP - I just can't bring myself to thinking it's worth $550(if it doesn't go up more!) vs. $150 (pre-sale)... it's tough

But it seems some of my favorite roo-ers might take the VIP leap, and I like those people darn it!

So can anyone who has gone VIP please tell me some really fabulous things about it... things good enough to make me spend $400 extra dollars! I'm having some trouble rationalizing it on my own!

Thanks.... I'll be waiting patiently ;D

Go VIP or I will break into your house and pee in your kitchen sink.;)

Post by LunaPooka on Dec 28, 2006 23:59:35 GMT -5

bug512 said:

For the VIP and RV question.You will need a RV pass if you want to bring a RV !!One pass is good no matter how many people are in your party.Example: 2 people + 1 RV = 1 RV pass 6 people + 1 RV = 1 RV pass

Post by bug512 on Dec 29, 2006 5:31:43 GMT -5

The food was ..... not good..Being that my Wife is a vegetarian there was really no food selection for her.I didn't think the burgers and other food was good either ( I ate only one burger) ..I guess the "quality" of the food is about the same as you can buy anywhere else on the grounds.We brought all of our food and drink since we have the camper.The only thing I treated myself to once a day was a iced coffee drink.

We like the VIP section for it's convenience.I think if you were OK to happy about the food served elsewhere you will be satisfied with the food served in the VIP area.

I didn't see any breakfast served this year.I know the guy next to us had "limited funds" so he could not buy breakfast...we took care of him..

Post by iSkew on Dec 29, 2006 11:33:41 GMT -5

I have to disagree about the food. I don't know how fancy everyone here eats on a regular basis, but for me being able to eat great salmon, scalloped potatoes and asparagus is not crappy. The VIP meal tents are catered. Yes, it does err on the side of being "general" catering in the sense that tons of spices aren't used because you'd have that many more things for people to complain about and allergies to avoid. But the entire group I was with was very impressed by the food all-in-all. Having ice cream, cookies and sun chips available much of the time was an extra treat. There was almost always a salad option (or two). Some of the meals were absolutely fantastic (I went back for seconds all the time- I think it was the same night as Radiohead that I was so famished after not eating much earlier in the day and I was so happy with the meal- I wish I could remember the specific menu that night).

Yes, the burgers were only cafeteria-style burgers. Nothing special, but that was only one night. They still weren't bad and better than some crappy fast food.

Now with all that said, I can see how a vegetarian's choices were limited, so no argument there. But they were LIMITED not impossible. There were frequently multiple vegetables or salads and the staff were very friendly about trying to accommodate. The quality was standard general catering. We would still occasionally get something from the Centeroo vendors (like a funnel cake or some absurd amount of noodles) just to splurge, but we never really needed to.

I'm really happy with the food-- it's better than I would probably eat if I was trying to cook all of that myself in an RV. That plus cheap good beer like Hat (or just bringing a beer or drink of my choice from my RV to the dinner, which they didn't mind) was great. I can understand some specific gripes, but I'm not sure what people are used to.

Post by iSkew on Dec 29, 2006 14:26:31 GMT -5

bug512 said:

OK so I am a food snob.....sorry

No need to be sorry! I think it's easy once you're in VIP to be really general describing it to people; I've seen people describe VIP and shrug about the showers and nice bathroom while for others it was the reason they went VIP. It'll be good for someone to read that someone did and didn't like the food. Helps people figure out where they'll be happiest!

Post by TickTrix on Dec 29, 2006 15:31:17 GMT -5

There were some great meals and some so-so meals. That being said, Kelly and I both agreed that if it wasn't for the meals in VIP, we wouldn't have eaten during the hot, daytime hours. The fact that food was there, decent and free, we ate lunch each day and our energy levels were much better for it.

It was a disappointment that breakfast wasn't served and that the hospitality tent didn't open until lunchtime; however, I have high hope that 2007 will be different as I know a lot of people complained about it. About a month after Roo, VIP'ers were sent a survery of their experience and given a chance to give recommendations. Lets hope they listen and make us some breakfast. Hangovers will be oh so much easier to deal with with some hot, greasy eggs. Yum.

Post by Meg on Dec 29, 2006 21:18:42 GMT -5

well I have been convinced that VIP is the way to go - sadly - this year will not be the year because we are not going to make it at all - but next year - we will be there - in VIP - with an RV with bells on!